Gripper mechanism



June 9, 1931. CPL. MOYER GRIPPER MECHANISM Filed Aug 29. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l C/zarlea .Zl. MQQGW June 9, 1931. c, MQYE-R 1,808,783

(i-BIPPER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 29. 1929' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES at-r, FFI

CHARLES MOYER, or ortrcliso, rumors, Assreivoa T QUALITY nannwennnivn I MACHINERY CORPORATION, or cnrcaeo, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01* -I IJLINOIS t Germans ivrncrrazvisiu Application filed A usree, 1929. Serial No. 389,113.

This invention relates to i gripper mech anism particularly, although not exclusively, to gripper mechanism for use with paper machines such as printing, signature and book making machines and the like, and is especially useful in high speed machines where long runs are made and when it is desired to operate for long periods oftime without having to stop the niachine for repairs or adjustment.

The invention further contemplates a gripper mechanism which is readily adaptable to any kind of paper or like machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a gripper mechanism which will'autoniatically and accurately grip sheets or piles of paper of varying thicknesses and positively move the same away from the feeding mechanism and release such paper sheets or piles at the desired point.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a gripper mechanism for high speed machines having a minimum number of parts and one which is so constructed as to continue in operation for long periods of timewithout repair or adjustment.

A further object of the inventor. is to provide a gripper mechanism which is fast in its operation, which is accurate in its gripping mechanism and whch is susceptible of long and continued use.

Generally speaking the gripper mechanism consists of a 'pluralityof rotary car-- riers arranged adjacent a feed mechanism which carriers have associated therewith gripper fingers for gripping material deliver-ed to the carriers by feed mechanism and which grippers are actuated into gripping and releasing position by a rock shaft passing through the rotary carriers and actuated by a tumbler which cooperates with spaced curved flanges so that there is a minimum amount of wear ontheparts together with a construction which is strong, efficient and susceptible of long andhard use.

The invention further contemplates the arrangement of the gripper fingers in such a manner as to have a floating support for the same in order that the same may yield slightly to receive stock of varying thick nesses without having to adjust the gripper mechanism when the variationof such stock occurs. The gripper mechanism :of th1s invention is susceptible of use with a single sheet of paper'or the like as well as with 1 plied material .or signatu'res'ornsections for books or the like.

The invention contemplates also shaft supported in the rotary carriers which shaft carries the grippers in such manner as to move thegrippers into and out of gripping association with the carriers for which rock shaft is rocked by a. tumbler :at one end of the shaft cooperating with curved flanges which are spaced in such a manner as to rock the shaft in one direction when the tumblerengages'one of the flanges and to rock the shaft in the opposite direction 1 a rock when the tumbler engages another ofth'e flanges. z r q 3 The above, other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description; accompanying-"drawings and appended claims; 7

An embodiment of the'invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in the views thereof as follows l Figure 1 is an end view of a gripper mechanism embodying the present invention.

' Figure 2 is a fragmental elevational view of the operative parts of the machine illustrated inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken subin the plain of line TIL-IIIof (L 1 stantially Figure 2. J

Figure 41s a sectional" view taken sub-" stantially in the Figure 2. i I

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentalpar plane of line IV'-IV of tial sectional view ofa gripper and the com.-

pensating means for the same. 1

The gripper mechan sm illustrated i'sar ranged to be operated 1n' connection with a feedtable not shown'by which sheets or sections or signatures are delivered tothe gripper mechanism'bytapesvor the'like. I

Theillustrated embodiment of the inven tion comprises side frame members-land- 2 which frame members have rearwardly tened to the shaft '5.

extending portions 3 and upwardly extending portions 4.

A shaft 5 is journalled in the side frame members. 1 and 2 and is'provided at one end preferably outwardly of the frame member 2 with a driving gear whichis driven in any suitable manner from any suitable source of power, for continuously rotating the shaft 5.

A cam; 6 isfast on the shaft '5 at the other end thereof, said cam having surfaces 7, 8, 9 and 10 as indicated in Figure 1 for purposes to be hereinafter explained.

Rotary carriers are fast on the shaft 5 for 7 receiving paper 'from' the feed mechanism andconveying the same through a portion of the travel of the. carriers. There are three such carriers shown,.11, 12 and 13, although .more or less may be utilized depending of course on the size of the -gripper mechanism desired.

The carriers are substantially the same construction and it, is believed that a description of one-willsuffice for all.

i The carriers consist of a wheel 14 having a hub 15 which is keyed or otherwise fas- The wheel 14 has a flatperipheral portion 16 with a portion thereof as at 17 of greater width than'the balance of the periphery 16. The widened portion 17 forms less than half of the-periphery of the wheel.

The carriers are arranged to. rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows in thevarious figures, for instance, counterclock wise rotation in Figure 3 and clockwise ro- J tation in'Figure 1.

The lead end of the widened peripheral portion 17 indicated at 18 cooperates with a gripper finger in forming a gripping surfaceso that the. sheet, signature, pile or the like may be, grippedbetween the end 18 of the widened peripheral portion 17' of. the

carrier and. a gripper finger whereby the sheet, signature, pile or the like: may be moved by the carriersin the manner here inafter described.

A rock shaft 19 passes throughand iscar ried by the several rotary carriers 11,v 12

and 13 and is spaced radially from the shaft 5, being revoluble with the carriers. The

shaft 19 extends beyond the outer surfaces of theouter carriers.

. V Adjacent each of the carriers on the rock shaft 19 is a hub 20 having outwardlyextending spaced cars 21, 22.- ,The hub 20 "is fastened to the rock shaft 19. The hub 20, is arranged on the rock shaft 19 with re-' spect to its carrier on the same side thereof as the widened peripheral portion 17 7 A gripper arm 23 is freely mounted on the rock shaft 19 between the hub 20 and theadjacentcarrierflying between the hub and the carrier sorthat the gripper finger 24;

" thereof will cooperate with the gripping end 18 of the widened the carrier.

The gripperarm 23 is provided with a lateral extension 25 which when the parts are assembled lies between the ears 21 and 22 of the hub 20. The extension 25 is of less thickness than the space between these peripheral portion 17 of between the ears. The gripper finger 24 is secured by means of screws or like attaching means 26 to the arm 23.

cars so as to allow play of the extension 7 The ear 21 is preferably of greater depth against the extension or lug 25on the grip per arm 23 and theother end resting against 7 an adjusting screw 29 threaded into the bore 27 for adjusting the pressure of thespring against said lug or extension. The effect of such springris to normally urge the extenthan the ear 22 and is provided with threaded bore 27 (Figure 5) in which is.

placed a spring 28 having one end resting l sion or lug 25 towards or against the outer ear 22 on'the hub 20 and thus maintain the gripper finger 2+1 in tight engagement with the grlpper end 18 of thelateral peripheral portion 17 and of any material that there spaced portions for cooperation with the tumbler 30. I

There are two such flanges shown. One flange35 is arranged at the margin of the plate or like structure 34 and extends for some distance about the periphery of the same, preferably not to. exceed 180 Anothersuch flange 36 is formedas a part of the plate 34L and is arran ed radially inwardly of the flange 35 an d 'in spaced circumferential relation with respect to the same. The curved flange 36-is of less extent.

than the flange 35. 7

A shaft 37 is suitably supportedv the rear extension 3 of the framemembers and carries aplurality of tape wheels 38 which support tapes 39 for delivering sheets. signatures, piles orthe like to'the gripper ,mechanism of this invention.

Bars 40 extend forwardly from the tape of the carriers.

39 and terminate adjacent the gripping area The uprights 4 carry ashaft 41 whichin;

turn hasfastened to'it forwardly extending stop members42 which stop members have.

end portions 43 for straddling the bars 40 Mamas and to serve as stops for the material fed from the feeder tape 39. The shaft 41 is oscillated so as to move the steps 42 into and out of stopping position by means of an arm 44 fastened at one end of the Shaft and oscillated by means of a sliding link 45 which is pivoted at 46 to the arm 44. The lower end of the link 45 is stirrup shapedhaving legs 47 and 4.8 to pass over the end ofthe shaft 5 adjacent this end of. the machine. A roller 49 is secured on a stud 50 passing to thelink 45 and rolling on the cam 6, moving the link 45 in accordance with the engagement of the roller 49 and the cam surfaces 7, 8, 9 and 10 of said cam member:

A spring 51 is connected at one end to the lever 44 and at the other end to a portion of the frame member 1 for normally urging the lever 44 downwardly in order tomaintain at all times the roller 49 in engagement with the cam member 6.

A cross rod 52 is connected to the upper ends of theuprights for strengthening the machine.

The curved or arcuate flange 35 is so disposed that when the rotary carriers 11., 12 and 13 are rotated the roller33 of the tumbler 30 will strike the entering end of the flange whereupon continued rotation of the carriers will move the tumbler aboutth roller 33 as a center. and oscillate the rock shaft in clockwise rotation as viewed in Figures 3 and 4, that is, in a direction to grip material delivered to the carriers-by the tapes 39. The stop heads 43 are so positioned that the material is stopped in such manner that the grippers 24 engage the front edge of the material between'the stops and sufliciently far back from the front edge to secure a firm gri of the sheet, signature, pile or the like. he moment the grippers 24 grip the sheet, the cam surface 9 of'the cam member 6 engages underneath the roller 49 to move the link 45' upwardly thus swinging the stop 42 out of the path of movement of the sheet so that the carriers 11, 12 and 13 may take with the same the gripped sheet. The roller 33 by this time, that is by the time the T-head of the tumbler has turned underneath into the dotted line position shown at the left of Figure 4, rides on the inner surface of the arcuate or curved flange 35. The parts are so arranged that the engagement of the roller 33 with the under surface of this flange 35 will cause the grippers 24 to tightly grip the sheet or file or signature or the like to positively move the same with the carriers. Any variation in the thickness of the sheet'is compensated for by the floating arrangement of finger arms 23 and the springs 28.

This condition prevails until the carriers are rotated so that the roller 33 leaves the lower end of the flange 35 whereupon rea fulcrum and the T-head 31 is turned.

about until the roller 32 rides on the outer removed from the tumbler and the V V surfaces of the flange 36. This oscillates therock shaft in the opposite direction moving the gripper fingers to fullyopened position which is that shown in Figures 3 and 5. Continued rotation of the shaft 5 then brings the tumbler in the position shown in Figure 4 in fulllines, that is with the roll-1 er 33 against the leading end oflthe flange 35 whereupon the T-head 31 is tilted about the roller 33 as a center and the gripper fingers caused to close against the gripping edge 18 of the lateral peripheral portion 17; of the carriers for gripping the next sheet.

All of the parts are strongly constructed so as to withstand long and continued service at high speed. The onlything in connection with this mechanism which is likely to need replacement or adjustment isthe spring 2 8 in the floating connection of the finger arms which replacement or adjustment may be made with a relatively shortlossfof time as the parts are easy to reach and susceptible ofquick replacement or ad justment.

Such gripping mechanism is sturdy, rigid andaccurateiin operation and maybe oper-- ated at high seed irrespective of the class of stock belng, ed to the same;

While the carriers illustrated and deso t scribed are skeleton cylinders, it is of course understood, that any kind of c linder or similar structure can be used, suc for instance, as a, solid printing cylinder, ,in connectio with this invention. e i

The gripper mechanism of this invention could be applied to a tworevolution press by making the plate 34 axially movable into igpd out of position for actuating the tumer. 7 I V The invention has been described herein more or less preciselyas. to details, yet itis to beunderjstood that the invention is notto be limited thereby as changes may be'made in thearrangement and proportion of parts and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the spirit and scope of the;

invention.

The invention is claimed as follows i:

L A grip er mechanism including in combination r0 ,ar'y carriers, grippers on said carriers, a tumbler for actuating aid -i l pers, and curved flanges spaced. circumfen entially and radially from eachfother for saidtumblerin opposite directions.

' surfaces, spaced circumferentially and raextending peripheral portions.

dially from each other'and sequentially en'- gageable bysaid tumbler for moving said grippers successively into gripping'and releasing positions. g i i 8. A gripper mechanism including in combination co-axial rotary carriers havingifiat peripheries, a rock shaftpassing through andcsupported in said carriers parallel to andradially spaced frointhe axis thereof, gripper fingers on said rock shaft movable into and out of gripping engagement with laterally extending portions of said flat ope ripherie's, a tumbler'on one end of said rock shaft having rollers thereon on opposite sides of the rockshaft axis, arcuate surfaces spaced radially and circumferentially' and alternately engageable by said 1 rollers for tilting said tumblers successively in'opposite directions for moving-said grippers into and out of gripping contact with said'laterally 4.; A- gripper mechanism including a plurality of co-axial rotary carriers, a rock shaft extending through and supported in" said carriers, gripper fingers onsaid rock shaft, a T shaped Y and circumferentially and successively engageable by said tumbler as said carriers are 12 rotated, one ofsaid suriaces disposed with an disposed with 'an' end dnentof one ofthe ends of 'thei T-shaped' tumbler to tilt the same in' one direction,

end, in the path of movement of one of the ends ofthe T-sha'ped tumbler .to tilt the same in one direction, 'an d another of'said surfaces disposed withan end in the path of movement of the other end of said T-shaped tumbler to tilt the same in the opposite direction. i 1

'5. A gripperme'chanism including a plu rality of co-axial rotary carriers, a rock shaft extendmgthrough and supported in sald carriers, gripper fingers on said rock i shaft, a T-shaped tumbler'on one end of 59 saidrrock shaft, two arcuate surfaces spaced radially and circumferentially and successively engageable bysaid tumbler as'said carriers are rotated, i

and the other of said surfaces disposed with an end in the path of movement of the length of the same to '6: A gripper mechanism including incomb'ination rotary carriers,--grippers associated simultaneous movement, a

' curved tumbler on one'end of said rock shaft, arcuate surfaces spaced radially one of said surfaces in the path of move ist-spas with said carriers, a single'instrumentality for moving said grippers simultaneously into and out of gripping position, a plate having curved surfaces spaced circumferentially and, radially from each other and projecting outwardly from the-sameside of said plate andsuccessively engageable'by said instrumentality for actuating the same to move said grippers in'the manner stated.

'7. A gripper mechanism with a rotary carrier, grippers on said carrier, a tumbler oractuating said grippers, and a plate having curved flanges spaced circumferentially and radially from eachother for tilting said tumbler in opposite directions. I i 8. A gripper mechanism including in com- 'bination a rotary carrier, grippers-on vsaid carrier, said gri'ppers being connected for 7 single tumbler on said connection, and curved surfaces spaced circumferentially and radially from I each other sequentially engageable "by said, tum bler for moving said grippers successively into g ipping and releasing positions.

gripper mechanism including in combination a rotary carrier, grippers associated with said carrier, a single instrumen-r tality for movingsaid grippers simultaneously into and out of gripping position, and surfacesspaced circumferentially and radially from each other and successively engageable by said instrumentality for Mt 'uating the same to move said grippers in, the manner stated. s

"1 0. 'A'gripper mechanism including a ro tary carrier having a lateral extension as a part ofits periphery, a rock shaft passing through-said carrier in spaced relation to the carrier axis, a gripper finger on said shaft movable into and out of gripping engagement with said lateral extension as said shaft is rocked, said finger having limited floating movement with respect to said shaft to compensate. for variations in thicknesses of signatures delivered to said carrier, means for rotating'said carrier and means for rocking said shaft.

- In testimony whereofl have hereunto subscribedmy name at Chicago, Cook County, I

CHARLES L. MOYER.

Illinois.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,808,783. Granted June 9, 1931, to

CHARLES L. MOYER.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously written and printed as "Quality Hardware and Machinery Corporation", whereas said name should have been written and printed as Quality Hardware and Machine Corporation, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of July, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

